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Eligibility

I. Eligibility Requirements

An eligible Oklahoma Veteran is an individual who is certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) for receipt of per diem payment.

A. Individual has served at least 90 days with one or more days being on active duty. EXCEPTION: Individual was discharged due to or as a result of a service connected disability other than dishonorable discharge.

B. Individual must be disabled by age, disease or other reason as specified in 38 CFR 17.46.

The purpose of these procedures is to establish a fair and equitable process for the placement of eligible Veterans on a waiting list for admission to a Veterans Center. The Veterans Center Administrator shall have the flexibility to determine variation from the waiting list based on medical and/or humanitarian need. The waiting list priority for eligible Veterans is:

World War II Veterans. Admitted to the first available bed capable of providing the level of care required. If there are no remaining World War II Veterans, Veterans of the next oldest wartime period shall be admitted to the first available bed capable of providing the level of care required.

Ex-Prisoners of War. Admitted to the first available bed capable of providing level of care required. Veterans will be placed at the top of the waiting list if there are no eligible Veterans on the waiting list that are World War II Veterans.

Eligible wartime Veterans. These Veterans will be placed at the top of the waiting list if there are no eligible Veterans on the waiting list in the first two priority listed above, and will be admitted to the first available bed capable of providing the level of care they require, in the following order based on the date of receipt of the application.i. Eligible wartime Veterans with service connected ratings of 70% to 100% by the USDVA.ii. All other wartime Veterans with service connected ratings form 0% to 60% by the USDVA.iii. All other eligible wartime Veterans not specified in earlier categories will be placed on the waiting list in chronological order based on the date of receipt of the application.

4. All other eligible Veterans. These Veterans, including those with no wartime service, will be placed at the top of the waiting list if there are no eligible Veterans on the waiting list in above listings, and will be admitted to the first available bed capable of providing the level of care they require, in the following order based on the date of receipt of application:i. All other eligible Veterans with service connected ratings of 70% to 100% by the USDVA.ii. All other eligible Veterans with service connected ratings of 0% to 60% by the USDVA.iii. All eligible Veterans not specified in earlier categories will be places on the waiting list in chronological order based on date of receipt of application.

If more than one application is received on the same day, the Medical Director will determine their sequential order on the list according to medical need. The Veterans will be called from this list and will be admitted to the first available bed capable of providing the level of care they require.

Spouses and surviving spouses may be admitted on exhaustion of placement of all eligible Veterans.

Wartime shall be defined as the following dates:

World War II (12/07/1941 to 12/31/1946)

Korean War (06/27/1950 to 01/31/1955)

Vietnam War (08/05/1964 to 05/07/1975; 02/28/1961 ‘in country’ before 08/05/1964)

Persian Gulf War (08/02/1990 to Undetermined)

Wartime shall also be defined as any other dates that may be established by the United States Congress, Oklahoma Legislature, or Oklahoma Veterans Commission

The following provides technical procedure information for use by Veterans Center staff:

All priorities are implemented on a statewide basis pursuant to official Rule 770:10-1-4. Names will be entered on the computer in the appropriate priority category in chronological order.

If a veteran refuses the first available bed, he or she will go to the bottom of the list for that category.

If a veteran accepts a bed and is admitted to one facility, then requests transfer to another facility, the veteran’s name will be placed on the receiving facility’s waiting list in the proper category in chronological order by date request received. The veteran will then be transferred when a bed is available in accordance with Standing Operating Procedure #701

III. Required Documentation

Individuals wanting admission to an Oklahoma Veterans Center must complete a Veterans Center Application Form. As support for the information provided by the Veteran, any of the following documentation may be used:

Verified M11 from the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a copy of Form DD-214- Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty or any other documentation from the USDVA which could include DD- 215.

EX-POW-documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, OR documentation from a branch of the Armed services, OR newspaper clippings verifying prisoner of war status.

Disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Veterans Center Administrator and the Medical Director shall document the determination of eligibility for each veteran on the Pre-Admission form.

Oklahoma is among the top two states in the number of Veterans Centers providing intermediate to skilled nursing care for its Veterans. All centers undergo annual inspections by the U.S. Veterans Administration, the Oklahoma State Department of Health and follows the guidelines established by other health and safety agencies. Professional personnel provide diversified health services for every facet of complete health care in the Veterans Centers. These health services include but are not limited to laboratory, x-ray, pharmaceutical, dietary, social, and recreational. Thus, a well-rounded state Veterans program is created to administer care not otherwise available to over 1,400 Oklahoma Veterans. The Veterans Centers operate much like private communities, situated on spacious, landscaped acreage. In addition to the above, they include administrative offices, recreational halls, auditoriums, cafeterias, laundries, power plants, and maintenance shops. In recent years, the latest in Life Safety Code features have been installed in all structures which accommodate patients. Expansion and growth are evident at the Centers as continual construction is underway building new additions, cafeterias, offices and other such needed arrangements. A continual review of these facilities is made to ensure that each meets current safety and fire codes.